Enhancing sustainable development goals and empathy through digital education: A pilot cross national study between India and the UK

Bakthavatchaalam, Venkat

Abstract

This e-poster builds on our last year’s research (Bakthavatchaalam et al., 2017) on the effectiveness of digital education in enhancing the subject knowledge and SDGs in engineering Higher Education (HE) learners. In this study, expand our study by conducting a cross national comparison between the engineering HE learners in India and UK on the effectiveness of digital education. Our research concerns how empathy can be used as a motivating factor for increasing the students’ awareness of SDGs, a sense of responsibility and curiosity regarding the application of the subjects they learn and this is done through digital education.
To compare the effectiveness of digital lectures between the learners of the different countries, a pilot study is to be conducted at Exeter College, UK and at Karpagam Academy of Higher Education (KAHE), Coimbatore, India titled ‘Bright Dreams-the digischool’. The authors created video lectures, with each of the videos in addition to discussing the engineering subject content, links it with elements of SDGs and show the students can use them to create a change. The sample in each country will be divided into a control and an experimental group. The control group will be given regular lectures and the experimental group will be taught with a modified scheme of lecturing that will include the digital lectures.
Two types of quantitative data are to be collected: first on the students’ understanding of the topics - measured by a controlled class test and second to measure their awareness, responsibility and significant changes they can make in terms of sustainability through a self-designed questionnaire. T-test, correlation and factor-analysis are to be used to analyse the data.
The expected results include an increase in the understanding of the students understanding of the topic discussed and awareness of their social responsibility and sustainability. The cross national comparison is expected to offer a gamut of results on how digital education is used in both these countries and the various factors affecting them. Also, the correlation between the different demographics of the students and the level of the impact of the video lectures will be measured.
Based on the results of the quantitative pilot study, qualitative feedback from the students and the lessons learnt further developments to the process will be planned.

• Presentation Conference Type: Poster
• Conference Name: UNESCO: Transforming Education Conference for Humanity
• Start Date: Nov 15, 2018
• End Date: Nov 17, 2018
• Deposit Date: Aug 5, 2021
• Series Title: UNESCO: TECH
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/6550443